Straw-burning furnace.



No. 660,|8l. Patented Oct. 23, I900.

' H. CQCLAY.

STBAW BURNING FURNACE.

[Application flled Mn. 19, 1900.

line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES i PATENT @EETCE.

HARRY 0'. MAY, or COLUMBUS, INDIANA, AssIeNoE TO THE EEEvEs & ooMPANY, OF sAME PLACE.

STRAW-BURNING FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,181, dated'October 23,1900. Application filed March 19, 1900. berial No. 9,190. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY O. CLAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Bartholomewand State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Straw-Burning Furnace, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved form of arch for straw-burning furnaces.

The object of my invention is to produce a fire-arch for straw-burning furnaces of such character that it may be readily removed from or inserted in the fire-box and of such form that expansion and contraction may take place without opening the joints.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a transverse section on line 1 l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on Fig. 3 is a detail section, on an enlarged scale, on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 4 indicates the fire-box, which may be of any desired form and from which lead the usual tubes 5. In the construction ordinarily used the grate 6 is overhung by a fire-arch which consists of one or more sections of tile, each of which extends entirely across the fire-box. In such a construction the tiles must be supported loosely at the side, so as to allow for expansion and contraction of the several parts, and when so supported it is found exceedingly difficult to introduce new tiles in place of broken ones or to remove the tiles, so as to adapt the furnace forburning fuel other than straw. In my construction, therefore, I secure to the side wall 7 of the fire-box a series of pins 8, which project a short distance into the fire-box. Upon these pins I hang a pair of angle-irons 9, having a flange 1O projecting horizontally inward, the said angle-irons being mounted upon walls 7 at any desired angle to the grate bars. I then provide a pair of tiles 11 and 12, each of which has upon its outer edge a longitudinal groove 13, adapted to receive flange 10 of the adjacent angle-bar. The inner edge 14 of the tile 11 is convex in cross-section, while the inner edge 15 of the tile 12 is concave in cross-section, so as to receive the edge 14 and form therewith a knuckle-joint. The

combined length of the two tiles 11 and 12 is somewhat greater than the width of the fire-box, so that when placed in position there will be a continuous, although slight, pressure outward, thus holding the angle-bars 9 in position. Any expansion or contraction of the tiles or change of dimension of the fire-box will be compensated by the automatic action of the knuckle-joint between the two tiles, and a tight joint will also be maintained between the inner ends of said tiles and also between the outer edges of said tiles and their supporting angle-bars. The flange 10 of the angle-bar being entirely inclosed in the groove 13 is entirely protected from the action of heat from the furnace. The tiles 11 and 12, being but little greater than one-half the width of the fire-box, may be readily removed from the furnace, and in View of the fact that no bolts are used to support the angle-bars in position said tiles may be easily removed and the supporting angle-bars may be also easily removed, so as to quickly fit the furnace for use in burning fuel other than straw.

It will be readily understood that the tiles may be made in as many longitudinal sections as desired.

I claim as my invention 1. In a furnace having fire-arch supports projecting therein, a fire-arch consisting of a pair of tiles having mating adjacent edges arranged to allow a relative angular movement without breaking the joint, and so formed upon their outer edges as to receive and protect the projecting supports.

2. In a furnace having fire-arch supports projecting therein, a fire-arch consisting of a pair of tiles the inner edge of one of which is convex in cross-section, and the inner edge of the other of which is correspondingly coucave in cross-section, and means carried by the outer edges of each of said tiles for receiving and protecting the projecting supports. A Y

3. In a furnace, the combination with the fire-box, of an angle-iron detachably hung upon each side of its fire-box, and a fire-arch consisting of two tiles hinged together at their adjacent edges and adapted to rest at their outer edges upon said angle-irons, the arrangementbeing such that said ang1eirons are held in position by the normal tendency of elongation of the arch. I

4:. In a furnace, the combination with the fire-box, of one or more pins extending into said box from opposite sides thereof, an angle-iron hung upon each side of pins, and a fire-arch consisting of two tiles hinged together at their adjacent edges and adapted to rest at their outer edges upon said angleirons, the arrangement being such that said angle-irons are held in position on their pins by the normal tendency of elongation of the arch.

HARRY O. CLAY.

Witnesses:

OATHARINE HIGH, JOHN J EWELL. 

